Starting Grant

Duration and details

  • Through the Starting Grant, financial support is granted for personnel, operating and/or equipment costs related to research.
  • From 1 September 2023 on, the total funding amounts to € 230.000. 
  • This is a 4-year project* (but the budget will be available for an additional 2 years in SAP).

*The budget is adequate to appoint 1 doctoral researcher (bursary) without seniority for a period of 4 years

Who is eligible for a Starting Grant?

  • A Starting Grant can only be awarded once during the entire career at Ghent University.
  • At Ghent University there are 2 fixed moments each year when ZAP members are appointed or the percentage of their existing ZAP appointment is increased: 1 September and 1 February. Shortly after these two dates, the Starting Grant will be awarded to the eligible ZAP members.
  • To be entitled to receive a Starting Grant the ZAP member must belong to one of the following categories:
    • ZAP members who are newly appointed at Ghent University as of  1 September/1 February with a ZAP appointment of at least 50%.
    • ZAP members whose ZAP appointment at Ghent University is increased to a minimum of 50% as of 1 September/1 February (for the first time).
    • ZAP members who are newly appointed at Ghent University as of 1 September/1 February with a ZAP appointment of at least 50%, but who take up this appointment on a part-time basis in combination with an FWO-postdoctoral fellowship.
    • ZAP members who are newly appointed at Ghent University as of 1 September/1 February and who combine a part-time ZAP appointment at Ghent University with a part-time ZAP appointment at the Ghent University Global Campus (South-Korea). The combined appointment percentage amounts to at least 50%.

Exception

  • Also ZAP members who are newly appointed at Ghent University as of 1 September/1 February and who combine a ZAP-position of less than 50% with an FWO-senior clinical investigator fellowship will receive a start-up budget. This award will be done by Ghent University Hospital (UZGent) instead of Ghent University.
  • For this category the workflow as mentioned below does not have to be followed. The budget will be made available on a WBS element within Ghent University Hospital (UZGent).
  • For more information on the procedure to receive a start-up budget at Ghent University Hospital (UZGent), please contact .

How to apply?

  • In order to obtain a Starting Grant a minimal registration procedure is required within the context of the FRIS database (cf. obligation imposed by EWI). For this registration an online web application form is developed within GISMO (= implementation of an integrated research information system at Ghent University).
  • All ZAP members who are entitled to receive a Starting Grant will be invited in the beginning of September/February via their UGent e-mail address to fill in the GISMO web application form.
  • This registration must take place within 11 months after the effective start of employment or the extension of employment.
    • Administrative information concerning the promoter
    • Title of the research project (Dutch and English)
    • Information concerning the project timing (intended start date) > the start date must be at least 4 weeks after the registration date and at the latest 1 year after the effective start of employment or the extension of employment.
    • Abstract of the research project in Dutch and English
    • Keywords in Dutch and English
    • Research field codes
    • Information on possible ethical and/or biosafety issues

What in case a ZAP member starts later than the official appointment?

  • ZAP members who are officially appointed as of 1 September/1 February, but who start later, can (if they wish) already fill out the registration form from the official appointment date on, but the budget of the Starting Grant will only be made available from the effective start date of the ZAP appointment on.

Results

After approval, the ZAP member will receive an email from GISMO stating the Grantcode in SAP, on which the allocated budget is made available, as well as the start and end date of the funding in SAP.

Contact

Research Department Ghent University

Research Co-ordination Office - Special Research Fund

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Scientific report

Within one year after the end of the project that was funded through the Starting Grant, the promoter has to send a scientific report  electronically to BOFapplication@UGent.be. This report is the only reporting on the Starting Grant project.